After spending 5 days at New York Comic Con surrounded by comics, creators and fellow comic fans was amazing, but it was something that happened at my local comic shop that got me INSANE!

When I went to work at Most Excellent Collectibles (in Enfield, CT.) last Monday I was greeted with a collection that store owner Mason just bought and put out for sale... war, horror and non superhero comics from the 1960's, 70's and early 80's. I went nuts! As I dove into the boxes I was returned to my golden age of comics; the books when I first started collecting. I got so insane about these books and the memories I began looking into boxes that he didn't even sort yet. Yes... I was spoken too for that, but it was old comic books!

As I bought books that I needed and looked at books that i alreay owned I was brought back to the 1970's with titles like 'Fightin' Army', 'House Of Mystery' and 'Doomsday +1' and creators like Paul Levits, John Byrne and Luis Dominguez.

Wow, eh? Pure magic.

As I read some awesomely old and smelly comics it made me think; were comic books better back then or now? Sure the quality is better and a lot of the current creators are as good, if not better than the legends. At the same time, how can anyone compare to the work of Joe Kubert, Jack Kirby and Alfredo Alcala?

It is obvious that these comic books get thrown into my childhood and innocence feelings, but there was so much variety, stories were for the most part one and done and they were everywhere. I couldn't walk into a store and not find comic books.

So my thought to y'all out there is that if you are not happy with the current batch of comics being produced, why not discover or rediscover a moment in comic book history that I feel was the perfect storm? Chances are a single old issue of 'The Many Ghosts Of Doctor Graves' or 'Weird War Tales' will not only entertain you... but make you smile.

Case in point at how much these old books impacted my life? I had some friends pop into the store and I began randomly pulling out books that were for sale (that I owned) and reciting dialogue in a particular comic. Then I would open to the page to show I knew the book. They were kinda impressed!

What is my phone number? I don't know but what I do know is that my mother was trying to make a pen work on the cover of my 'Weird War Tales' # 74? Or that my dad took me to the old House Of Paperbacks in East Longmeadow to get me some comics because of a good report card and got 'Weird War Tales' # 50? Give me enough time and I can probably tell you what I was wearing.

Do we really need another big star / big star team up book? So far I haven't been very happy with 'Batman / Superman' so why would I want a book featuring two characters I love... but don't read their own books?

Glad I rarely take my own advice!

Sure, I knew this book would look incredible under the pencils of Tony S. Daniel and inker Matt Banning. And yes, Charles Soule is writting some amazing stuff (including the recently reviewed 'Letter 44'), but a great team doesn't always guarantee a great book.

When the two most powerful characters in the DCU decide to have a relationship, sparks will fly. In 'Superman / Wonder Woman' # 1, Superman is concerned that their relationship will go public and Wonder Woman is thinking the opposite because she wants that. Just as you think the book is going to be all about smooching and hugging, a military plane is crashing, a ship is shooting at our heroes and something evil lurks below the sea!

Not what I expected at all!

Soule can write incredible characters and crazy situations that are compelling and incredibly interesting. Especially writing two iconic characters; he makes them feel fresh despite the fact that they have been around forever. He has a great feel for what makes them tick.

Daniel's pencils and layouts are amazing. He draws Clark and Diana like they should be and that is beautiful and heroic. His action scenes are loaded and full of excitement, but it is interesting that I feel his best work in this book is the conversation panels.

Inker Matt Banning compliments Daniel's work and really adds life and depth. It must be hard inking an industry superstar, but Bannning makes it look easy.

If you are not reading 'Superman' and 'Wonder Woman' proper, tale a chance on this one. 'Superman / Wonder Woman' # 1 certainly has flash, but it also dives deep into two characters we have known forever. Once you read this book you'll have a better understanding of what makes these icons tick.

Our good buddy Mitch Hallock has launched a new podcast!SI listeners may know Mitch as the organizer of ComiCONN, or from his years on the IndyCast. In addition to organizing his own annual comic convention, Mitch attends a ton of shows and does interviews at all of them. His new show, Mitch’s ComiCONN-versations, will feature interviews with creators of all kinds. The first episode is up right now, and includes some Star Wars interviews that Mitch just did at NYCC 2013.You can click here to head to the podcast page to listen to the first episode and subscribe to future ones.

Afterlife with Archie, the brand new ongoing series written by Harvey award winning writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Stephen King's The Stand) and Eisner award winning artist Francesco Francavilla (Black Beetle) sold out in less than 5 hours at Diamond and will be immediately going back for a 2nd printing.

The highly anticipated horror series dominated New York Comic Con and has received rave reviews from notable comic and news sites including THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, USA TODAY, HUFFINGTON POST, FANGORIA MAGAZINE, IGN, COMIC BOOK RESOURCES, NEWSARAMA, BLEEDING COOL, BLOODY DISGUSTING and many more. "It is blood-soaked and wonderful" -- Complex Magazine "Afterlife With Archie #1 not only surpasses expectations, it's one of the few truly scary comics in recent memory" -- Comic Book Resources "A genuinely terrifying horror comic that looks absolutely stunning" -- IGN "It's everything about Archie taken to this moody, blood-soaked extreme, and Francavilla's art hits that note with absolute perfection" -- Comics Alliance "Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa bridges the world of horror and Archie in a way you never thought possible" -- Comic Vine Series artist Francavilla created a special cover for the 2nd printing of Afterlife With Archie #1. The debut issue was the fastest selling Archie comic of all time and is Archie's first direct market only series ever, taking the Archie characters in a dark, horror inspired direction. **Archie Comics urges consumers to order Afterlife With Archie #1 and future issues through their local comic shop as the series has already generated buzz from all corners of the media and will continue to do so in the coming months with more sold out issues anticipated.Afterlife with Archie, the most anticipated new horror series of 2013, is exclusively available at your local comic shop and digitally on the Afterlife with Archie App.

Secret Identity was out in full force at New York Comic Con 2013 last weekend. And while we’ll be talking about the new show and the news that came out of it for weeks, I wanted to put together some quick impressions that I got from this year’s show. So, in no particular order, these are five things I took away from NYCC:Holy Cow, The PeopleSaturday and Sunday are always jam packed at NYCC, but this year, Thursday was the most crowded I’ve ever seen it, and Friday felt like Saturday. Sure enough, when ReedPOP revealed the attendance numbers, they were record-setting: more than 130,000 people attended NYCC this year, putting the show on par with San Diego in terms of numbers. And it’s only going to get bigger.

Marvel and DC Take a Step BackWhile I mentioned both of the big two, the real shocker here was DC--they had no booth at NYCC. Let that sink in. The second biggest comic publisher at the second biggest show in the country, and no booth. Worse, I attended the DC All-Access panel and the lack of enthusiasm on DC’s part was very concerning. DC barely showed up this year.

Marvel had a markedly bigger presence than DC, but their booth was pretty unimpressive as well. They had a small stage, a signing area, and an exhibit featuring the car (Lola) from the new S.H.I.E.L.D series. In contrast, Marvel had props from Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: Winter Soldier at San Diego this year. Very disappointing to see they didn’t bring the same enthusiasm to NYCC.

Everyone Else Stepped ForwardWhile Marvel and DC were dropping the ball, every other publisher at NYCC took a step forward this year. Archie, Oni, Image, BOOM!/Archaia, Valiant and Dark Horse not only showed up, but they had great booths, tons of signings and interacted with fans throughout the show.

The Oni panel I attended was packed with talent and the books being announced were exciting (Keep an eye out for Letter 44 and The Auteur in particular).

Archie killed it with their Afterlife with Archie display, and that book was the talk of the show.

To me, the message was clear: the rest of the publishers out there are no longer looking for Marvel or DC to set the pace for the industry. Each of those companies are aggressively coming after the big two, and we as readers are going to benefit from it.

Artist Alley was the Best It’s Ever BeenWithout a doubt, the most inspiring thing about NYCC 2013 for me was the level of talent and diversity to be found in Artist Alley. From industry vets to first-time exhibitors, Artist Alley was lined with amazing artwork and original comics. I spent more money on comics and art this week than at any previous NYCC. Anyone who walked the aisles of Artist Alley was reminded that there is plenty of originality and diversity in comics if you just take a little time to seek it out. There was truly something for everyone.

ReedPOP Runs a Tight ShipDespite the record numbers that attended the show this year, I actually felt like the show floor was more navigable than it had been in years past, particularly on Saturday. ReedPOP implemented a new badge policy this year, where you had to check in and out of the show. It could have been a disaster in terms of delays, but things flowed very smoothly for the most part. The army of volunteers and show staff really worked hard to ensure people got to experience as much as much as possible, and they deserve a lot of credit for that.

All in all, we had an absolute blast at NYCC this year. Thanks so much to ReedPOP for their continued support in allowing us to cover the show each year. We’ll be featuring the interviews we did for the next year, and as I mentioned, we’ll be talking a lot more about NYCC on future episodes of Secret Identity.

You know how much Brian and I love 'DriveThru' and how we have been partners with them for a long time. Not only do they house many of our friends comics / books and publish ours as well, but they host many of the old Secret Identity episodes. But Brian and I look a little deeper at the people and companies we align ourselves with and once again 'DriveThru' is showing why we think they are a company who has their priorities right.

Here is our pal Matt M McElroy to tell you more!

"DriveThruFiction has partnered with over 30 publishers to offer a $20 charity bundle of eBooks. Proceeds of the Read and Feed America charity bundle, which has a retail value of over $150, will be donated to the nationally-recognized 'Feeding America' organization. "I'm happy that we are able to partner with some great publishers like Margaret Weis Productions, Apex Book Company, and Renegade Arts, just to name a few," Matt M McElroy, DriveThruFiction's Director of Marketing said. "Not only will readers get a great deal on some excellent fiction, they'll be contributing to a very worthy cause." Since June 2011, DriveThruFiction.com has offered customers the chance to make a $5 direct donation to Feeding America while shopping on the site. This New $20 Read and Feed Charity Bundle offers participating publishers and opportunity to provide customers with an excellent selection of eBooks and raise money for this well respected charity."

Considering what I do for a living, I think you all know how I feel about this. This is a great thing that DriveThru and all these great publishers are doing.

What an incredible first two days of the event we know as New York Comic Con. Since Brian and I go our seperate ways at these shows ( to cover more and diverse ground) I don't know who he has spoken to or even seen... so here is my interview report!

Dan Parent - The Archie writer / artist and I discuss young love, the state of Archie and Kevin Keller!

Mark Arey and Kai Carpenter of 'Messiah: Origin' - Mark and Kai bring their own takes on this incredible project.

Mike Richardson - Dark Horse Comics President and I spend about 15 minutes just gushing about comics. Amazing guy who is passionate about what he does!

Rob Anderson - We haven't spoken to Rob in a while and what a great time to catch up as we discuss his new book 'Rex Zombie Killer'.

Gavin Smith - The artist on one of my favorite new books, 'The Accelerators', talks about how much fun this book is and the future of the series.

John Layman - This one has been a long time coming and he certainly didn't disappoint! John shared with us that he is off 'Detective Comics' but is now writing the new book 'Batman Weekly'.

Yanick Poquette - The Montreal native and I discuss my Expos tattoo, his early career and the greatest comic book panel of all time.

Nicholas Briggs - An epic discussion about Doctor Who with the voice of the Daleks and Cyberman and producer of the Big Finish audio dramas. Nicholas is an incredible guy who I think our listeners will love to hear.

I'll be back Sunday with a few interviews still to do, and along with Brian's will ensure some exciting Creator Spotlights' in the future.

One of the coolest places to stop while at New York Comic Con is the Abrams ComicArts booth (#2228). Not only will you find some amazing books like 'Star Trek: The original Topps Trading card Series' and 'Bazooka Joe And His Gang'.

This morning we're heading down to New York to help our pal Vin Ferrante set up the Monarch Comics booth (2018). We'll be hanging out and selling books there all weekend, as well as grabbing tons of interviews for SI. So, if you are at the show, stop by and say hi!

With two daughters still in high school and a wife who is a teacher, I know the dangers of bullying. I have seen in seen over the past few years in our area alone several young children take their own lives because of the stress caused by bullying.

Here's one event at New York Comic Con that deserves our attention and applause.

"In a groundbreaking move, New York Comic-Con has invited Pop Culture Anti-Bullying Coalition to exhibit at its upcoming event, which draws 100,000 fans annually and will take place at the Javits Center on October 10 – 13, 2013. Created by actress Chase Masterson (“Star Trek” / “Doctor Who Big Finish”) and award-winning author Carrie Goldman (Harper Collins’ “Bullied”), the Coalition will have experienced staff on-hand all weekend at Booth 630 to talk with teens, young adults, kids, parents, and educators on how to overcome bullying. “We’re not just here to stand up against bullying. Everybody knows that needs to stop,” said Masterson. “NYCC’s invitation to Pop Culture Anti-Bullying Coalition marks the first time that the movement to overcome bullying is at the heart of a con experience. With the NYCC team, we’re making a safe, go-to place where kids and adults can find resources, healing and answers.” The Coalition will also hold a panel, “End Bullying! Responding to Cruelty in Our Culture,” which will be hosted by Masterson and moderated by Goldman on Sunday, October 13, at 3:45 pm in Room 1A14. Panelists include Cartoon Network VP Alice Cahn, Adam Bouska & Jeff Parshley (Founders, NOH8 Campaign), Ashley Eckstein (“Star Wars’” Ahsoka Tano & Founder of Her Universe), Brad Bell (Executive Producer and star of CW Seed’s “Team Husbands”), author Bonnie Burton (“Mean Girls”), Jenna Busch (Fan TV Entertainment Editor), and a rep from the Anti-Defamation League. Pop Culture Anti-Bullying Coalition is also bringing the NOH8 Campaign to NYCC for their 1st-ever pop culture con photo shoot, which will be held at Booth 630 on Sunday, October 13, from 12 – 2 pm. "NOH8 is proud to continue our partnership with the Anti-Bullying Coalition and keep the discussion of bullying and discrimination alive at New York Comic Con,” said Founders Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley. “We're grateful for the opportunity to share our message and empower comic con attendees by showing them they are not alone. We want them to know there really is hope for a future without hate!" “October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and New York Comic Con is a leader in the movement to bring anti-bullying programming to attendees of pop culture conventions. The Anti-Bullying Coalition is excited and grateful for the opportunity to educate attendees on ways to stand up to bullying!” says Goldman. "STOP BULLYING: SPEAK UP uses the inspirational power of entertainment media to motivate young people, and the adults who care for them, to speak up safely and effectively when they see bullying happen,” said Alice Cahn,Cartoon Network vice president of social responsibility. “Working together, we can create a culture of kindness in our schools and communities." Lance Fensterman, Global Vice President for ReedPOP, notes: "All ReedPOP events and especially New York Comic Con are about community. We are about getting together with friends you know and friends you haven't met yet to celebrate a shared passion. That community only works if everyone involved feels safe and secure. We are proud to support the anti-bullying coalition as their beliefs match up with our desire to create a safe and fun place for all of our fans." The unprecedented Coalition’s members include several international non-profits with anti-bullying initiatives, including the United Nations Association, the Anti-Defamation League, NoH8 Campaign, Cartoon Network’s Stop Bullying: Speak Up, GLSEN, International Bullying Prevention Association and Girl Scouts of America.

“So much of pop culture revolves around superheroes,” concluded Masterson. “Since we love them, why not band together – and be one?” Pop Culture Anti-Bullying Coalition will be at Booth 630 at NYCC. For details on the booth and panel, please see http://www.AntiBullyingCoalition.com.